JOIN USTurmeric price nosedives; Chamarajanagar farmers left in lurch
Farmers are in distress with no steps taken by the state government to bail them out in Chamarajanagar.
Farmers are suffering due to crash in prices of turmeric to Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per quintal recently. The state government is delaying the opening of turmeric procurement centre, which has added to the loss of farmers.
While the district administration is not heeding to farmers, they are forced to sell turmeric at prices set by middlemen.
According to the Central government policy, turmeric does not come under the list of crops for which support price can be provided.
To benefit farmers, a market mediation scheme was introduced and price for turmeric was fixed at Rs 4,092 per quintal. Now, it was the turn of the state government to provide a support price and buy turmeric.
Farmers had demanded a support price of Rs 5,000 from the state government in addition to the price fixed by the Centre, but the state disappointed them by providing only Rs 908.
It has to be recalled that last year turmeric had reached Rs 17,000 per quintal. With the fall in price this year, farmers are not even getting the cost of production. The Centre had directed the state government to buy 12,400 tonnes of turmeric under the market mediation scheme in March itself.
The state government also released Rs one crore to the district administration, but the delay in fixing support price delayed the opening of procurement centre.
Despite the district administration having funds, farmers could not be helped with no instruction from the government.
Chamarajanagar district is the biggest producer of turmeric in state. Every year around 35,000 tonnes of turmeric is produced in the district. This year more than 40,000 tonnes of turmeric has been grown on 30,000 acres of land.
Traders from Tamil Nadu make all the profit as farmers are dependent on market at Erode.
“Due to the delay in opening the turmeric procurement centre, we are incurring loss.
The government should fix a higher support price,” urged farmer Madesh.